Jailed Mom ‘Devastated’ That Her Son Was Vaccinated While She Was Behind Bars

CBS Local — A Michigan mother who spent five days in jail for refusing to vaccinate her son says she’s outraged and devastated to find out the boy has been fully immunized now.

Rebecca Bredow of Ferndale was ordered by the Oakland County Circuit Court to vaccinate her 9-year-old son at the request of the boy’s biological father, James Horne. When Bredow did not have the child receive the proper shots as she reportedly agreed to do as part of a November 2016 court case, Judge Karen McDonald found the 40-year-old in contempt of court and sentenced her to a week in the Oakland County Jail.

The child’s father reportedly had his son given his vaccinations on Oct. 9.

“It was the worst five days of my life, except for the fact that I just found out that he was vaccinated and I’m not going to get him back today,” Bredow said, via the Detroit Free Press. “It’s been a rough few days to say the least.”

Following Bredow’s release, Judge McDonald approved a recommendation to have the mother and Horne share custody of the child on a 50/50 basis.

“She’s devastated,” Bredow’s attorney Steven Vitale said. Vitale added that he and his client were given 21 days to challenge the new ruling, which they reportedly plan to do.

Bredow’s husband and the boy’s stepfather, Gary Bredow, also disagree with the judge’s decision.

“I think it’s horrific; to me it’s a worst case scenario,” he said, per CBS Detroit. “For a mother who has done and followed all of the state exemption laws, never had her voice truly heard in this court…I think it’s absolutely horrible.”

Michigan is one of 17 states that allows for medical, religious, and philosophical exemptions from vaccines.

Bredow told reporters that her decision to not vaccinate her child was part of her religious beliefs and she believes it was within her rights as the boy’s mother to choose what kind of care he should have.

“I still stand by my choices because I stand up for what I believe in,” Bredow added.